


Tattoos

by Kaunis_Sielu



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-11 23:05:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12945981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaunis_Sielu/pseuds/Kaunis_Sielu





	1. Chapter 1

You’re almost finished with the rose on her ankle when the door dings alerting you to another customer.   
“I’ll be right with you!” You call before wiping the tattoo.   
“No rush.” He calls back and the girl you’re working on gasps. You glance up at her in confusion. She hasn’t made a noise her whole session, why would she start now? Her gaze is on the man that has just come into your shop. You glance over your shoulder at him and you understand instantly why she gasped. The man before you is stunning. Brown hair pulled back from a square jaw, piercing blue eyes and full pink lips. You tear your eyes from him and finish her flower, you usually didn’t have men come into your little shop.   
“Alright. Have you ever had a tattoo before?” You ask the young woman and she shakes her head. “Okay, wash it with antibacterial soap. Leave the black bandage on it for as long as you can. It needs to stay on for at least 3 hours. Use unscented lotion on it a few times a day for the next two weeks, don’t soak it anywhere. Pat it dry don’t rub and try not to itch it.”  
“Sounds good. What do I owe you?”  
“55.” She hands over the money plus a five dollar tip. She bats her eyes at the man who walked in during her appointment then she heads out. “Sorry about the wait. What can I do for you?”  
“I just need a really small tattoo.”  
“How small?”  
“A line.”   
“A line? Like around your bicep or something?”  
“No, I was thinking like a tally mark.” He says, drawing a small line subconsciously on his right forearm.   
“I can do that. Do you want it on your right arm?”  
“Yea. How much?”  
“Well, since I’m technically closed I’ll cut you a deal, you just have to pay for the supplies.”  
“Let me pay your normal fee.” You purse your lips, you don’t want to make him pay such a large fee for just a line. “How about this, you let me pay your normal fee and when I need more work done you can do it at a discount.”  
“How many tattoos are you planning on getting?”  
“As many as it takes.” You look at him curiosity peaked but he doesn’t elaborate.   
“Deal.” You tell him, “Come on back.” You nod to the room in the back. He peels off his jacket and you’re surprised to see that his other arm is made of metal. You don’t mention it, he’s here for a tattoo not a therapy session. You get your equipment ready quickly and quietly, you take your marker and draw a single line on his skin. “How does that look?”  
“Good.”  
“The placement is good?” You ask and he nod, “And the size?”  
“Yea it’s good.” Nodding you turn on the gun and copy the line in black ink. You go over it a few times before you’re content with the thickness but the whole job only takes you a few minutes.   
“Done. Have you ever had a tattoo before?”  
“No. But I heard you tell the woman who was here what to do.” He tells you as you cover his line.   
“Tell me.” He does and you nod. “Perfect, it’s going to be 45.” He gives you 60 and you try to give him some back.   
“No, no, keep the change. You stayed open for me and I know it’s hard to be a woman in the tattoo industry.”  
“Oh, thank you.” You blink up at him in surprise.   
“Thank you. I’ll see you soon.” He smiles over at you before turning and exiting your shop.


	2. Chapter 2

You see him several more times. Bucky. He tells you his name when you’re adding the fifth line to his arm. You haven’t asked him what the lines are about, you did find out that they’re tally marks. He’s sweet, protective and completely charming. You look forward to seeing him, even though you don’t know when he’ll come in. The bell dings as you’re working on a piece for a customer, she wanted a few different options to choose from so you’re drawing her a few pieces. Glancing up you’re pleased to see Bucky come into the shop.   
“Hey.”  
“Bucky.”   
“Do you have time to do a couple of tallies?”  
“For you of course.” You tell him with a smile before putting down your pencil. He tilts his head and turns the pages to look at what you’ve been working on and you’re suddenly shy.   
“These are awesome.”  
“Oh, thanks.” You say with a smile, you beckon him over to the room and get your supplies together. “How many am I doing today?”  
“Two.”  
“So this makes twelve and thirteen.”  
“It does.” He sits down and pulls off his coat. He always wears that leather jacket, it looks so soft, you long to run your fingers over it.   
“Do you mind me asking what they’re about?” You ask fitting the needle into your gun.   
“Oh.” He says softly and you glance up at him. His cheeks have flushed a slight shade of pink.   
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” You assure him, Bucky stays quiet and you’re terrified you’ve offended him. “I’m so sorry Bucky. It’s none of my business, forget I asked.” You go to start on his two new lines when his metal hand wraps gently around your wrist. You freeze and look up at him, is he not going to let you tattoo him anymore?  
“I did horrible things.” He says softly, his gaze far away. “I’m sure you’ve heard the stories, stories of the Winter Solider. I murdered people, tortured others and protected monsters.” He sounds so broken and you feel horrible for asking him what the tattoos were about.   
“Bucky.” You whisper. “You don’t need to tell me.”  
“I want to. You’ve been so kind, you were never afraid of me.”  
“I didn’t have a reason to be afraid.” He looks pointedly at his metal arm then at you. You go to assure him when your door bangs open, swinging so violently that the glass shatters.


	3. Chapter 3

“Stay here doll.” Bucky says quietly, his blue eyes meet your wide ones. “I’ll take care of this.”  
“Hey! Bitch! Get out here!” Max, your former business partner slurs. Every couple of months or so he comes to your shop and demands money. Apparently when you left so did most of his customers, and of course that was your fault.   
“No Bucky. It’s okay, he just wants money.” You say lowly.   
“What?”  
“Where the fuck are you?” Max yells, god he sounds like he’s wasted.   
“He’s my former business partner, we had a falling out and I started this place up. He feels that I owe him money. It’s fine. I just give him a couple hundred dollars and he leaves.” You whisper.   
“He shattered your door.” Bucky points out and you stare up at him. “I’m not letting him bully you.”  
“You don’t have to do this.” You tell him, it’s not that you don’t appreciate his offer but you don’t want him to get involved. Max is an angry, jealous man.  
“I know.” He grips your hand for a second then goes out into the lobby of your shop.   
“Who the fuck are you?” Max slurs loudly.   
“My name is Bucky.”   
“Where the fuck is that bitch?”  
“She’s got a name.”  
“Where the fuck is she?”  
“It doesn’t matter. You’re done, you’re going to leave her alone from now on.”  
“Oh yea? What’re you gonna do about it?” You can’t hear what Bucky says to Max but whatever it is causes him to stumble back and bump into the counter.   
“Fine. I’m going.” He snarls.   
“Not before you pay for that door.” Bucky growls back. You hear Max swear quietly before you hear some rustling. “Now get out.” Bucky demands. The bell dings over the door then Bucky comes back into the room. You stare up at him in surprise, shaking your head slightly you don’t have the words to thank him.   
“Bucky.”  
“You don’t have to say it.”  
“But I do. Thank you.” You tell him grasping his arm. “Thank you. Let me do these ones for free. Please.” He seems to weigh his options but you’re not taking no for an answer.   
“They’re the people I’ve saved.” He says as you turn the gun on, he says it so quietly that you almost don’t hear him. “I’ve done so many horrible things, killed so many people that sometimes it gets hard to remember that I’ve saved some too.” Your heart breaks for him, he’s been nothing but sweet to you and you decide that you’re going to add a third tally. After all he did save you.   
He goes to move after you’re done with the second one but when you place a hand on his chest, not looking at him you add his fourteenth tally mark.   
“What’s that for?”  
“You saved me tonight Bucky. Max has been harassing me for a while, now because of you I don’t have to worry about him.” Your gaze meets his and you can’t help but smile at the warmth in those bright blue eyes.   
“Thank you.” He says quietly, his lips turning up in a slight smile.   
“Anytime.” He stands and when you get to the lobby he stares at the door.   
“I’m gonna go get you some plywood and put it in the door until tomorrow. Will you be okay for fifteen minutes?”  
“You don’t have to do that.”  
“I know.”


	4. Chapter 4

Bucky gets the plywood into the doorframe so much faster than you would have been able to do it. You’d done the clean up and had alternated between watching him work and working on your sketches. How could he think he was a bad person?   
He comes around almost every day for the next couple of weeks, never asking for a tattoo. Just kind of hanging around. You’re pretty sure that he’s here to make sure that Max doesn’t show up again. He always walks you to your car and had insisted on getting a new security system and the glass in the door seems thicker too but you’re not going to ask.  
“Do you want to get dinner?” He asks one night, it’s been slow all night and to be honest you were hungry.  
“That actually sounds fantastic. Besides all I’m doing right now is drawing food.”  
“Yea, when I saw that piece of pie I had a feeling you might be hungry.” He teases as you shrug on your coat and grab your purse then shove your sketchbook inside. After locking up the shop you loop your arm through the arm that Bucky offers.   
“Busted.” You mutter and he laughs softly.   
“Alright doll, where do you wanna go?”  
“Somewhere with pie.”  
“Luckily for you I know just the place.” The two of you stroll down the street in comfortable conversation. Apparently when he was a kid this area had been all factories. He tells you a couple of stories about how he and Steve would get into it with bullies. Or Steve would and Bucky, who at the time was far bigger than his friend, would have to get Steve out of the scrape. You tell him about your childhood and how you got into the tattoo world. You only have two little tattoos and you keep your appearance pretty pc so people are always surprised you tattoo.   
Neither of you shut up much through dinner of burgers and fries or dessert. Bucky makes good on his promise of pie and as he walks with you back to your little apartment you find yourself dreading the end of the night. The closer you get to your apartment the quieter you get.   
“You alright?” Bucky asks breaking into your thoughts.   
“Oh, yea. I’m just having a nice time and don’t want it to end.” You admit.   
“It doesn’t have to.”  
“Uh-”  
“Oh! No no not like that.” Bucky corrects, “I just thought we could watch a movie. You said you have all the Disney movies and it’s been a while since I’ve watched one.”  
“You want to come up and watch Disney movies with me?”   
“What I really want is to kiss you but I’ll be somewhat satisfied with a Disney movie.” He flirts and you have to bite your cheek to keep from laughing.   
“Flirt.” You tease and he grins down at you before kissing you softly. The ends of his dark hair brush against your cheekbones and when he goes to pull away you catch his face in your hands and kiss him again.  
You don’t know it yet but he’s going to add a few more tattoos to his perfect body. He’s going to add one to yours too, you even let him tattoo it onto your left ring finger after the ceremony. His hands are steady but you let another tattoo artist friend of yours do the really intricate stuff. Not only does he add that one but you’re pretty sure his name will be tattooed on your heart forever.


End file.
